U.S. Senate and House members from Kansas introduced companion bills Monday requiring cellular telephone companies nationwide to provide timely assistance to law enforcement searching for people in potentially life-threatening situations.

Federal law dictates providers may release “ping” or “call location” information from cellphones, but there is no requirement that companies must comply with police requests.

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, both Kansas Republicans, and U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., were responsible for introducing the Kelsey Smith Act in Congress.

“Protecting the lives of our children is the paramount concern for any parent,” Roberts said. “The Kelsey Smith Act is common-sense legislation that makes it easier for law enforcement to find our children if the nightmare of abduction ever becomes a reality."

Smith, 18, was abducted from an Overland Park retail store in 2007. Security cameras left little doubt the incident was an emergency.

Four days after Smith disappeared, investigators located her body in Missouri based on ping information reluctantly provided by her wireless carrier. Her killer was sentenced to life in prison.

Under the proposed federal bill, law enforcement agencies could obtain call-location information from carriers when responding to a call for emergency services or in a situation involving risk of death or serious physical harm.

“Kelsey Smith’s abduction sent shock waves through her community, our state and the nation,” Moran said. “The Kelsey Smith Act will make certain first responders have the tools they need to help prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future.”

In 2009, Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson signed a Kansas version of the Kelsey Smith Act. Kansas' law has served as a model for similar reform bills in other states.